Last school year, our district undertook a self-imposed safety audit to ensure the highest level of security for our students, staff, and visitors. As a result of this audit, you may have noticed several changes in our buildings. Some of these changes include structural modifications, which were recommended by safety experts to enhance the overall safety and security of our facilities.
Additionally, there has been an increased emphasis on conducting safety drills for our students and staff during the school day. These drills, particularly evacuation drills in the event of a catastrophic Boysen dam failure, are being practiced more frequently. We understand that these drills may cause some disruption, but they are crucial to ensuring everyone's safety in case of an emergency.
Please note that many of the changes and upgrades implemented are not shareable with the public due to safety reasons, especially those related to addressing the event of an active shooter. While school districts are not legally required or fully funded to perform safety audits, our district crisis team strongly believed that continued education and improvements in school safety were necessary.
We want to assure you that the safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority. As such, we have planned additional structural upgrades over the next couple of years. Due to budget constraints, it is cost-prohibitive to implement all upgrades at once. We appreciate your understanding and support as we work towards completing these necessary improvements to enhance safety standards in our district.
The final part of the safety audit included upgrading our district crisis plan, which was developed with the expertise of a national homeland security expert. This plan serves as a comprehensive guide to ensuring a swift and effective response to any crisis situation that may arise.
While some of the changes in our district may seem inconvenient at times to building visitors, we assure you that they are indispensable for the safety of our students. We genuinely appreciate your cooperation, patience, and ongoing support as we strive to enhance safety standards throughout our district, including facility upgrades, knowledge enhancement, drills, and procedures.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding our safety measures or any other matter, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Together, we can create a safer and more secure environment for everyone in Hot Springs County School District #1.
Thank you for your understanding and trust in our commitment to student safety.
Sincerely,
Dustin Hunt
Superintendent of Schools
Hot Springs County School District #1